Big Mistakes Review
Director: Dean Holland
Date Created: 2026-04-09 17:47
2.5
Big Mistakes Review: Directed by Dean Holland and created by Dan Levy and Rachel Sennott, the show runs for 8 episodes, each with a brisk 30-minute runtime. Netflix’s crime-comedy series stars Levy as Nicky and Taylor Ortega as Morgan, alongside Laurie Metcalf, Abby Quinn, Boran Kuzum, Elizabeth Perkins, Darren Goldstein and others
Big Mistakes Review
Netflix series Big Mistakes revolves around two siblings, Nicky and Morgan, who end up in an insane and perilous situation following a reckless move made to help them deal with the death of their ailing grandmother. What begins as a well-intentioned effort to correct a personal matter soon escalates into a much larger one, putting them amidst the madness of organised crime. Along the way, the pair gets involved in a number of high-risk undertakings, all while struggling with their strained familial relationship.
On the other hand, the execution of Dan Levy’s Big Mistakes fails to capture the true possibilities of its concept. The chaos is a major theme in the show, which sometimes backfires against it. The jokes are overdone, and it seems that the dialogue is just about the actors talking over each other and shouting a lot. Although this may work for a short period, throughout eight episodes of such a show, it gets tiring for the viewers. There are some funny parts in the show, especially when Nicky and Morgan act out of their element.
As expected, Dan Levy has charm when it comes to his portrayal of Nicky. Levy’s typical fast-paced and somewhat neurotic delivery is evident in his role, and this definitely contributes to some of the funnier aspects of the series. Nevertheless, the script does not offer Levy much else beyond his persona, and as a result, Nicky appears to be a character caught up in an endless cycle of reaction without progression. Meanwhile, Taylor Ortega’s portrayal of Morgan adds to the chaos of the show, and this aspect works for the first few episodes alongside Levy’s interpretation of Nicky. Their sibling relationship is sprinkled with some chemistry, but ultimately ends up being repetitive.
One of the major letdowns in Netflix’s Big Mistakes is Laurie Metcalf. Famous for her impeccable comic timing and powerful screen presence, she is noticeably wasted in this production. There are possibilities of adding substance to the story through her character, particularly her aspirations and her relationships with her family, but the story has not been fully capitalised on this aspect. She seems out of place compared to the rest of the cast, as she belongs to another show entirely.
However, the secondary cast members do their best with the roles assigned to them. For example, while there is a potential for Abby Quinn and Boran Kuzum’s character development, such prospects never materialise. There are a number of characters introduced throughout the series, which at first may appear essential. Yet, most of them quickly become peripheral as they receive little or no screen time. Such an approach contributes to the feeling that the plot lacks focus as it attempts to touch upon too many topics.
The other problem involves the actual story being told. It follows a repetitive pattern: Nicky and Morgan find themselves in hot water, panic, fight, and somehow make their way through. One can’t help feeling that the series isn’t progressing towards anything significant, despite the efforts made to do so. Even the inclusion of criminal activities fails to bring any level of excitement. This is surprising because, even without the plot’s actual progression, the idea is promising enough to be intriguing.
But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t some good aspects to it, either. Some elements of what could have been from the series Big Mistakes can be seen; for example, an emotionally deep story that would have been a much stronger and sharper dark comedy. Sometimes, the show stops long enough for viewers to catch a glimpse of what might have been, but it doesn’t take long enough for the viewers to forget about it because of the loudness of the show’s humorous nature.
Netflix Big Mistakes Review: Summing Up
Ultimately, what ends up happening with the Big Mistakes series for me is that at some point, it fell out of balance. There isn’t always a consistent joke in the show, and there’s nothing really deep about the character either. They’re not exactly bad because you may find yourself laughing at some parts, but they just aren’t as good as they could be.
Also Read: Trust Me: The False Prophet Review: Gripping and Unnerving Take on Blind Faith Gone Wrong
